Typesetting apparatus



Patented May i3, i924.

CHARLES ASHTON HENRY BULLOCK, O'F LONDON, ENGLAND.

TYPESETTING APPARATUS.

Application filed February 27, 1922. Serial No. 539,536.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.'

Be it l-nown that l, CHARLES Asi-iron HENRY BULLOCK. a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of London, Engvland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Typesetting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to type setting apparatus and has for its object to provide iinproved means for enabling type to be conveniently stored and readily set eve-n by persons unskilled in the art of typesetting as ordinarily understood.

One convenient arrangement for storing type and enabling them to be readily set is disclosed in the specification of my prior application for Letters Patent Ser. No. llGGSO. i

According to this prior arrangement the type are stored in channels arranged at such an angle that they gravitate to the free ends of the channels the channels being pivoted at their upper ends and biased to a raised position by means of springs and the method 25 of setting involves the depression of keys at the lower ends of the channels which causes the channels to move bodily about their pivetal points when the lowermost type in the channel comes into vcontact with a fixed projection and is projected upwardly into a. position convenient for extraction. rlhis arrange-ment is quite convenient in many respects but possesses certain disadvantages as regards both manufacture and operation. In the first place the channel structures have to be moved bodily about their pivots and are then returned to normal position by means of their springs and one disadvantage of this is that the controlling springs have to be made strong enough to control the channel structures when they are full of type and when these channel structures are only partially full the spring pressure is more than is required and imposes upon the operator vthe necessity for exerting different degrees of pressure in the operation. As the typesetting operation is much in the nature of that exercised in operating a typewriter it would be manifestly advantageous if the force required to operate is made as light as possible-and what is more important-is at all times the saine. Moreover this bodily movement of the channels renders it impossible to have more than one designation of type in each channel and there are moreover certain manufacturing diiiiculties.

The primary feature of my present invention resides in the fact that I propose to arrange the channel structures as stationary elements firmly supported upon a suitable frame or bedplate and provide type ejecting units which can be attached at the lower ends of the stationary channels and where desired these type ejecting units can also be arranged intermediate the two ends of the channel. By this means the type ejecting units can all be to a definite standard and the spring force to beiovercome in the operation of the machine will be considerably lightened and will be precisely the same for all conditionsy andin the event of the breakage of a spring or other derangement. of the mechanism the damaged unit may be removed and replaced by another witho'utinterference with the rest of the machine. Further the provision of fixed channels and separate operating units has the advantage that all the channels are in the same plane 'and there is no necessity for raising and lowering some of them as suggested in my prior speciiication aforesaid in order that they may be all at the same level when it is requiredto distribute type already set. Hai/ing thus described the nature, object and advantages of my invention l will now describe, with reference to the accompanying dra-wings, the means I preferably employ to enable it to be carried into practice.

Fig. l is a view showing a convenient arrangement of typesetting device embodying my invention consisting of a frame cont-aining type channels for accommodating a series of unit type lifting devices which may be arranged in said channels in any preferred manner, or according to any prearranged plan.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of one of the units in position in a type channel.

Fig. 3 is a similar elevation with the side plate removed, said plate being shown de.- tac-hed.

Fig. t is a sectional end elevation through one of the type channels, and

Fig. 5 is a plan View thereof.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates a suitable construction oit a trame which may be provided with hir ged legs so that the said 'trame may be supported at any desired angle in the manner oi an easel. A suitable base plate is secured to the frame to which are attachee a series ot type channels 4. These channels are secured to the base in any convenient manner, tor er;- ample by inserting the lower edges in slots formed in the base plate and beading the said edges under as shown in Fig. l. Each channel is continuous or terms a continuous slot from top to bottom. The unit type litting devices according to my invention are arranged to tit within the channels el in any desired position, and in series according to any prearranged plan 'tor the ready entraction of any preferred piece ot type as desired when type setting In the arrangement shown in the drawings, the type lift-ing device is constructed as 'tollows. One side plate 5 is bent as at G to form the ends ot a casing, the other side ot' the casing being closed by a side plate 7. Lips S are Jformed on the upper end of these side plates adapted to be inserted in slots in the channels 4. Fitting within the casing thus formed by the side pieces 5 and 7 is a slider 9 having teeth 10 formed on one side thereof adapted to gear with a toothed pinion 11 rotatably mounted in the side plates 5 and 7. Another toothed sliding member 12 is adapted to gear with said toothed pinion 11. A guide piece 13 is arranged between the two sliding pieces 9 and 12 and underneath the toothed pinion 11, said guide piece having shoulders or side projections 14 adapted to tit within square or rectangular holes 15 termed in the side plates. A U plate 16 and screw 1G retains the parts in the correct position when the device is inserted within the type channel. Each device is designated by a symbol, character or letter and placed in the channel or portion of channel, containing the type ot the particular character or letter so designated. Shoulders 17 are formed on the side. piece 7 adapted to abut against corresponding grooves formed on the end portions (i it the other side piece so that a good tit is ensured.

It will thus be seen that, when it is desired to ract a piece ot type the slider knob it is pressed down, say by the middle linger, the shoulder 9b compressing a springll. The downward movement rotates the pinion 11 the rotation ot which raises the sliding member 12. A pin 19 is secured to the sliding member 12 sliding in a slot 19a in the casing said pin being so arranged as to engage the underside ot the. piece oli' type and raise the same to an elevated position convenient for extraction, say by the thumb and lirst finger. A cover or lid 2O is preferably hinged to the casing ot the lifting device` said lid having an opening 21 formed therein to permit the piece ot type to pass therethrough. A longitudinal slot is preferably provided in the base member centrally of the type channel so that the pin 19 may engage the underside ot' the piece otl type. On release ot pressure trom the knob 9 the two sliding members assume their original position ready 'tor thel raising and extraction ot the. next piece ot type.

The device as above described is arranged to tit within slots formed in the upper portion ot the channel as shown in Figure 4 and be secured by the U plate 1G and screw 16 to ensure rigidity, but it will be understood that the device may be constructed so as to lit 'trictionally tight between the inner sides ot the type channel. By means of my invention each unit is a standard and the torce required to operate is light and always the saine and moreover in the case ot any tracture or derangement ot a unit a fresh unit can. be instantly supplied. h/[oreover the units can be arranged in any desired position in a channel according to the number of type oit' a particular kind required. For a letter like X for instance. ot which few are required only part of a channel need be set aside the remainder ot the channel being used tor another letter or letters. Thus a tount of type can be accommodated in the smallest possible space while all the types will be equally accessible.

that I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A type setting machine comprising a liXed channel adapted to receive the type. and supporting the same in a vertical position, an aperture in the bottom ot' said channel. an ejector device adapted to tit detachably in said aperture said ejecting device consisting of a unit comprising a casing, a spring siuniorted plunger vertically reciprocable in said casing, a cover or lit associated with said unit casing adapted to rest horizontally upon the upper edges ot the channel` an opening in said cover or lid adapted to permit only a single piece oft type at a time to pass vertically therethrough and means associated with the spring supported plunger adapted, when the plunger' is operated, to vertically raise a single piece. ot type and project the saine. through the opening in said cover or lid to an extent sulticient to enable the saine to be grasped by the operator.

A type setting maehine comprising a lined channel tor the reception ot the type and an ejector device in the torni of a unit adapted to be inserted into and secured in any desired position in the channel, said unit Comprising a spring controlled depressible member provided With teeth, a further member also provided With teeth on the side opposing theteeth of the depressible member, a pinion interposed between lsaid members and meshing with both sets of teeth, a projeotion on said further member adapted to engage beneath a single piece of type Whereby upon depression of the plunger the other member is simultaneously raised so as to elevate a single piece of type to a position convenient for extraction.

In Witness whereof I aix my signature.

CHARLES ASHTON HENRY BULLOCK. 

